2000s Recipes + Menus
Beef and Guinness Pie
Serves4 (main course)
- Active time:1 1/4 hr
- Start to finish:6 1/2 hr (includes making dough)
October 2004
Irish stouts produce a thick head when poured, so chill the can or bottle well before measuring to reduce the foam.
- 2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- Rough puff pastry dough
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
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Special equipment:
4 (14-oz) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5 inches wide) or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes
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Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
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Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.
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Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)
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Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.
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Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.
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Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
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Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.
Cooks’ note: Stew (without pastry) can be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Keywords
- beef,
- pastry,
- irish,
- maggie ruggiero
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